By CONOR NICHOLL

cnicholl@dailynews.net

OSBORNE -- The Osborne prep football team always enjoyed 11-man football even though victories were often rare. Since longtime coach Dave Johnson (210 wins) retired in 1990, the Bulldogs have had just one winning season, a 5-4 record in 2004.

The Bulldogs, one of the smaller Mid-Continent League programs, had trouble competing against larger conference teams, such as Norton, Phillipsburg and Smith Center. Fifth-year coach Cullen Riner said the team had closed the gap, but the "gap we have to close is too great." This year, for the first time in school history, Osborne will play eight-man football.

Led by the fiery Riner and several fast skill players, the Bulldogs look for an improvement; all three area squads (Hill City, Quinter, Stockton) that dropped to eight-man in 2008 have seen a jump of at least two wins per season.

"Mixed feelings with the team, but it was the best thing for us to do," senior Dylan Spears said. "We have a lot of speed. We are not the biggest team, but for our personnel, it was the best thing to do."

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Riner, a Pratt native and former player at Sterling College, took over five years ago. Osborne has improved each season, from 0-9 to 2-8 in his first two years. The last two years yielded 3-6 records, but the Bulldogs could have been better in 2009; they were outscored by two points (193-195) over the nine games. Three losses were within 14 points.

On the football field, Riner preaches simplicity, saying "we are going to do a few things really well." In the weight room, his goal is to keep players motivated all year. When he first arrived, Riner said "it took about a semester for them to realize I wasn't going to give in" on hard workouts. His weight room work has allowed Osborne to see jumps in football, wrestling and track.

"I have been told that my biggest asset as an athlete was that I hated to lose and wanting to win," Riner said.

"I couldn't stand losing. The fear of failing drives me. I don't like when I don't perform well or something that I represent doesn't perform well. The blame that I place when we don't perform well is on me. I am constantly looking back at ways we can improve things. It's just that hating to lose. It gives me a distaste in my mouth."

The Bulldogs, who finished second at Class 2A state track last spring, return several sprinters this fall, including senior running back Justin Pruter and junior Damon Schurr. Junior quarterback Ethan Slothower (854 total yards) is the Bulldogs' lone returning all-conference player.

"The thing that sets Ethan apart from probably any kid that I had since I have been here is his intelligence level on the field," Riner said. "He tends to make very good decisions."

Spears will start at tight end after he missed nearly all of last season with nerve damage in his arm. Last season, Pruter moved to fullback midway through the schedule after an injury to a teammate and finished with 597 rushing yards and eight scores, both team highs. Schurr averaged 10.6 yards per touch on 47 touches as a rusher/receiver/returner.

"Schurr is good when he gets to the corner and he is good when he gets to the second level," Riner said. "The same with Justin because they are both fast. (Justin) learned how to run a little tougher (in '09). I think that's what separates Justin a little bit from Damon. Damon is a little faster, but Justin is a little better in the middle of things."

Osborne lost all five starters on the offensive line, but junior Mike Schellinger and senior Ben Webb are expected to step in.

"Maybe ahead of where our starters were at the end of the year," Riner said. "Both of them worked extremely hard in the weight room in the offseason and really changed how they play. A lot stronger."

That personnel could help Osborne transform into a winning program. The Bulldogs have one playoff berth and no postseason victories since the '80s.

"I think this year is the year we are going to turn it around," Spears said.